The present invention is directed to the art of cleaning the interior surface of heat exchanger tubes, and in particular to disposal of water and debris issuing from heat exchanger tubes in the course of cleaning the tubes. The invention may also be applied in the collection and disposal of liquids and related debris from building leaks, failed equipment and so forth.
In order to maintain thermodynamic efficiency in industrial and commercial shell and tube heat exchange equipment it is necessary periodically to clean the interior surface of the tubes. Commercially available tube cleaning machines utilize rotary brushes affixed to an end of a rotating drive shaft together with a stream of cleaning water. In use of the machine, the rotating brush with following water flow passes into and back out of each tube being cleaned. Each tube in a heat exchanger is individually cleaned in this manner.
When the rotating brush is withdrawn from a cleaned tube a column of water and debris exits the tube ahead of the brush splashing down the tube sheet and spilling onto the heat exchanger support beams as well as on the floor below the heat exchanger. Heat exchanger tubes are cleaned as desired but a mess results outside the heat exchanger.
There is need for efficient collection and disposal of water and debris removed from heat exchanger tubes in a tube cleaning operation.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for collecting water and debris exiting from cleaned tubes and for directing such water and debris to a floor drain or sewer.
In other applications, the invention may be used for collection and disposal of fluid and related debris when leaks occur, or equipment fails and so forth.